New Yes Prime Minister – 2013
Twenty five years after the original series came to an end and three years after a stage revival Jim Hacker pops up again.
The series was loosely based around the 2010 stage play and had originally been offered to the BBC.
However similar to Birds Of A Feather (the BBC only wanted to try a Christmas Special) and they wanted a pilot episode. The writers felt it unnecessary as the success of the original series and stage revival showed there was interest from fans of the series. As a result the series was made by the BBC for digital channel GOLD.
Filming took place in September 2012. Both David Haig and Henry Goodman reprised their stage roles as Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey. It was felt that Haig’s Hacker was rather manic, while Goodman’s Sir Humphrey was more aloof and supercilious than Hawthorne’s original portrayal had been.
Transmitted in six episodes, anticipation for the series had been high. However reaction to the show was mixed and to date there have been no announcements on any further series.
Summary
Set in Chequers, the revived series was very much of it’s time.
Jim Hacker is Prime Minister of a coalition government, dealing with an economic downturn. His deputy and coalition partner is having a leadership crisis and then there’s Scottish independence to deal with.
All of which were hot political topics of the time.
Clips
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Cast
Jim Hacker – David Haig
Sir Humphrey Appleby – Henry Goodman
Bernard Wooley – Chris Larkin
Claire Sutton – Zoe Telford
Details
Channel: GOLD
Written By: Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn
Original Transmission Dates: 15th January – 12th February 2013